Album Review: Take Today – Choices (Self-Released)

Take Today’s new album, Choices suffers from an issue that is becoming a more prominent problem in the rock scene. Here we have a good rock album, a very good rock album, one that has bags of potential but it’s not one you’re likely to be listening to months down the line.

Opening song, Enemy is a disappointing start until the final minute when it goes for the throat with some wonderful clashing instruments & a rolling drum beat that will get the hairs standing up on the back of your neck.

These flashes are what make songs like the title track, Choices stand out with a RATM style beat that crops up near the end & it’s frustrating that we don’t get more. It’s an album filled with rhythm, style & plenty of passion it’s just lacking that killer edge.

Take the ballad, The Mend which begins damply. Vocalist P has a nice range but it’s arguable if you could pick him out of a line-up of rock band vocalists. However, it does pick up in the latter part of the song, not just lighting a fire under you as much as burning the whole chair, room & building down. It’s these moments that show that there is such potential in Take Today.

Fans of a more pop-rock sound will get a kick out of songs like Believe the Difference & The Last of the Maker. The former with it’s soft melody & vocals matched with sing along ‘wooah-ooooo’ moments will definitely hit the right note for a certain crowd. While the latter has a harder beat with heavier vocal moments but feels at odds with the rest of the album.

Take Today have proven with Choices that they have a lot of potential within the rock genre. There are flashes of brilliance here & there, moments that put a smile on your face. The album does seem a bit confused as to what direction they want to lean towards be it a harder rock sound or a more pop-rock sound but that can be put down to experimentation.

Overall Track Listing:

1. Enemy 2. Choices 3. You Were the One 4. The Mend 5. Fear from Society 6. Believe the Difference 7. The Last of the Maker

Choices was released on September 17th, 2016 & can be picked up on bandcamp here. You can find out more about the band by going to their Facebook page, following them on Twitter & checking them out on YouTube here.